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The short answer to your question is that you want to stimulate your breasts as often as you possibly can in order to keep your milk supply up.

But this is often easier said than done. You will want to breastfeed right before you leave for work, then pump as close to every 2 hours that you can. If you are working 6 hours a day, you may be able to have a 10 or 15 minute break, then a lunch break, and then another 10 or 15 minute break. During your breaks, use a double pump to pump for as long as you can. Be sure to drink water or juice while you pump to help replenish the liquids that your body is "losing". Then place the milk in a cooler (with ice packs). The milk will be fine in a cooler until you get home and can put it in the refrigerator or freezer.

If you cannot pump at all on your breaks then just pump on your lunch break. This will be really important - don't skip it. Pump for at least 20 minutes, even if you're just getting a dribble of milk. The stimulation of the breast is what's most important to help keep your milk supply up.

Then breastfeed your baby as soon as you get home. Ask the person caring for baby, to please try to hold him off until you get home. Sometimes a caregiver can give bub a partial feeding to help hold him off until you get home, if she knows you will be home in an hour. A good rule of thumb is that babies on breastmilk need a feeding about every 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Babies on formula can sometimes go 3 hours in between feedings.

When you are home, you will want to "wear" your baby in a sling or other type of baby carrier. Take a look at the Baby Carrier page on this site to see a variety of options. Babies can even be tied to mum with a big piece of fabric.

Baby carrying will allow you to continue to bond well with your baby and will also allow you to breastfeed anytime baby needs to suckle. Try not to use a dummy when you are with baby, and instead, offer the breast to help satisfy his suckling need. This will also help keep your milk supply up.

Co-sleeping with baby is also important, so that you can breastfeed during the night, and still get the rest you need. Again - this will help to keep your milk supply up.

When I first became a licensed child care provider, I cared for a baby who was 3 months old. Her mother went back to work full time, and was away from her baby 10 hours a day. The baby had a bit of a hard time transitioning to a bottle with me, but eventually made the transition AND continued to breastfeed at home. Mum started by pumping when she was at work, but eventually stopped pumping at work. The most wonderful thing was that mum never gave the baby formula at home. As soon as she picked up her baby from child care, she breast fed her, and then she would breast feed throughout the evening and in the morning. She also only breast fed the baby on weekends, which meant that her milk supply automatically adjusted according to the baby's needs.

Usually it takes 24 hours for your milk supply to adjust. So just keep in mind, that if your baby is sick and wants to breastfeed more often, that your milk supply will increase the next day to adjust for the demand that baby is placing on your body (which indicates baby needs more milk).

I hope this gives you encouragement. Please let us know if you have any questions at all.